About Hemp

Hemp Makes it SUPER!

Hemp is a super plant! There are hundreds, if not thousands, of uses for hemp including food, textiles like rope and clothing, construction material, plastics, fuel, animal bedding, and more. At Manitoba Harvest we’re focused exclusively on the seed, which we use to make delicious hemp foods.

Hemp Nutrition

Why eat hemp foods? It’s simple: protein and omegas!

Hemp foods are rich in protein and have all 9 essential amino acids. They also contain omega-3, omega-6, stearidonic acid (SDA), and the rare omega-6 Gamma Linolenic Acid (GLA). What’s so great about GLA? Well, GLA has been shown to help with cholesterol, inflammation, skin and hair health, balancing hormones, and general heart health.

Hemp Agronomy

Hemp is a versatile annual crop. Farmers plant non-GMO certified seed in the spring and harvest it in the fall using common farm equipment.

The varieties of hemp that are grown for food purposes reach a height of about five feet. Once hemp starts to grow, it has a broad leaf that helps to naturally suppress weeds which means that no pesticides or herbicides are needed to successfully grow hemp.

Hemp Misconceptions

Misconception:

Hemp is the same as marijuana.

False! Hemp is a species of Cannabis sativa BUT hemp is not the same as marijuana.

Hemp foods contain less than 0.001% Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and will NOT cause a psychoactive effect or a false-positive drug test.

Misconception:

Non-GMO Project Verified is basically the same thing as Certified Organic.

False! Certified Organic refers to a process of how food is grown and how food products are manufactured. Non-GMO Project Verified focuses on one aspect: verifying that there are no genetically modified organisms within the product.

There are Certified Organic products that have chosen not to go through the Non-GMO Project certification and therefore will not include the Non-GMO Project Verified stamp on their packaging.

Natural or conventional products can receive Non-GMO Project Verification if they meet the rigorous and extensive audit process relating to genetically modified organisms.

Misconception:

Hemp seed oil is the same as CBD oil.

False!Hemp seed, which is what Manitoba Harvest food products are derived from, contains very little CBD. CBD is pressed from the flowers, leaves and stalks of the Cannabis plant, not from hemp seeds like Manitoba Harvest’s current products. If you’re looking for products that contain CBD, stay tuned for our Broad Spectrum Hemp Extract launching in the US later this year.

Misconception:

Omega 6s are bad for you

False! Omega-6 often gets a bad rep. Some omega-6s, like GLA, play a crucial role in overall health. A general rule of thumb is to avoid all highly processed fats.

When it comes to our bodies we need a mix or balance of essential fatty acids. It’s best to consume foods that have naturally balanced omegas. Hemp has an omega-6 to omega-3 ratio of 3.75:1. Plus, the omegas in hemp are unrefined, raw, and easily digestible.

Hemp History Timeline

1606

1700s

1800

1937

1938

1942

1957

1970

1990

1998

2001

2011

2014

2016

1606 The first hemp crop is planted in North America.

French Botanist Louis Hebert planted the first hemp crop in North America at Port Royal, Acadia (present–day Nova Scotia).

1700s Hemp’s Crucial Role in Evolving U.S. Nation

In certain colonies, farmers were required to grow hemp as an essential crop by law. George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and John Adams all grew hemp, and the Declaration of Independence was even drafted on hemp paper.

1800 Hemp a Lifeline for New Settlers in Canada

The King of England offered free land (and free hemp seed) to immigrants who moved to Canada and grew hemp. As in the U.S., hemp became an essential crop for new immigrants for both textile production and as a food.

1937 Hemp Legislation Through the Marijuana Tax Act

Hemp was strictly regulated by the Marijuana Tax Act, largely due to confusion with other kinds of cannabis. Hemp could only be grown through specially issued government tax stamps, making any type of possession/transfer without a tax stamp illegal.

1938 New Billion Dollar Crop

Published only a few months after the Marijuana Tax Act went into effect, the magazine Popular Mechanics declared hemp as the next billion-dollar crop estimating over 25,000 different uses for the plant.

1942 Hemp for Victory

Without any changes to the Marijuana Tax Act, the United States Army used their Hemp for Victory campaign to urge farmers to grow hemp to support them in World War II. Between 1942 and 1945, the U.S. cultivated 400,000 acres of hemp for their war effort.

1957 The Last Hemp Field

Once World War II had ended, demand for hemp decreased and so did hemp production. The last commercial hemp fields were planted in 1957 in Wisconsin.

1970 Zero Tolerance for THC

The Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act went into effect abolishing the taxation approach of the Marijuana Tax Act, effectively making all cultivation of cannabis illegal by setting a zero tolerance for THC.

1990 Advocacy of Hemp Legalization in Canada

Manitoba Harvest Co-Founder Martin started advocacy efforts, helping to form the Manitoba Hemp Alliance. The group went on to secure a government grant to source hemp seed and commence hemp trials.

1998 Hemp Legal for First Time in Decades!

Industrial Hemp was legalized in Canada and an industry was born! 1998 also marked the founding of Manitoba Harvest Hemp Foods by President and Founder Mike Fata along with fellow Co-Founders Alex and Martin.

2001 Roadblock into the U.S.

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) launched a campaign to make sales of all hemp products illegal. The hemp industry fought back, and in 2004 the 9th U.S. court of appeals issued a permanent ruling blocking DEA regulations.

2011 Seeded Hemp Acres on the Rise

Consumer acceptance of hemp shows, and in 2011 the number of seeded hemp acres in Canada reached 38,828 from just 3,781 in 2001.

2014 Progress in the U.S.

The Farm Bill of 2014 was signed into law, defining industrial hemp as distinct from cannabis, ultimately allowing research and pilot programs to take place.

2016 There’s Still Work to do in the U.S.!

Hemp products are everywhere and hemp foods are becoming a staple in many people’s diets. Hemp is sold at major U.S. retailers yet it’s still illegal to grow hemp in the U.S. outside of research purposes. For more information and to get involved, visit www.hemphistoryweek.com or www.votehemp.com.

Hungry for some more hemp history? Visit our Hemp Academy and become a hemp historian.